Sun Bum: Tom Rinks. The Secrets of a Master Brand Builder (2023)
About this episode
Tom Rinks shares his journey from furniture sales to building the successful brand Sun Bum and the lessons learned along the way.
Tom Rinks got his start in the commission-only "shark tank" of midwestern furniture sales. That’s where he learned what makes customers buy. Decades later, those instincts helped him grow a joke of a side hustle into a $400 million success. In 2009, he created the iconic branding for an obscure sun tan lotion, drawing on a mish-mash of surf culture, Scandinavian furniture, and Japanese streetwear. Sun Bum became a huge success, but even before that, Tom helped boost a wildly diverse range of brands: a line of tequila, a series of Christian videos, and the ubiquitous “Yo quiero Taco Bell” campaign. All were successful, though it took a prolonged legal battle for Tom to get paid for the Taco Bell chihuahua. In this episode, Tom reveals how he learned to manipulate consumer psychology, survive the brutal warfare of a stolen idea, and engineer a brand explosion on his own terms. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Chihuahuas and Apes: How the Right Mascot can Transform a Brand What it takes to survive a five-year legal battle against a corporate titan. The "Elvis Principle:” How combining unexpected design elements can create an unforgettable package The "Trojan Horse"…
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